A COACH driver has admitted causing death by careless driving after an elderly woman died in a crash.

Kenneth Reeves, of Fordwich Road in Brightlingsea pleaded guilty when he appeared at Colchester Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

The crash on East Hill, Colchester, in January this year resulted in the death of 96-year-old Nora Hewitt just yards away from her home in Eagle Gate.

She was hit by the National Express bus at 4.50pm and the road was closed for several hours while officers carried out an investigation.

It was initially though she may have stumbled in the road, but a subsequent police investigation led to Reeves being arrested.

Both of Nora’s parents were killed when she was a child and she was sent to an orphanage.

When she was just two-years-old she went to live in France at a convent and was raised by nuns.

It was only at the age of 47 that she found out she had a sister who had lived in the same orphanage as her but she never knew who she was.

Once they got back in touch she found out that she had nieces and nephews.

After her death friend Mary Denney, who had known her for more than 14 years, described her as a “proper go out girl” who hated being indoors and the kindest person she had ever met.

She enjoyed doing new things and used to mark each birthday by doing something special including horse riding and a flight in a bi-plane.

Neighbours said she was a keen vegetable gardener who was very independent and didn’t have much family. She used to share her produce with friends.

Reeves will be sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court in the week commencing October 26.